The clocks have sprung forward and the sprouts in my yard are pushing through the now warmer, softer earth. Ah Spring, what could be more energizing than this time of renewal and awakening?

In the mood to take on your eating habits and change a few? Don’t miss the book review for answers to the many questions that keep us up at night such as, “Why is the my sister can eat like a horse and look like a gazelle?” (Bee-ach!)

A light recipe for spring that can be customized endlessly fills the recipe section. Pasta Primavera might sound old fashioned-been-there-done-that but what’s wrong with an updated classic?

My own inner work brought forth the article this month titled, “Own It.” There are two sides to every story and this subject is no exception.

The Question of the month reflects the season, in an effort to cleanse away winter's heaviness do I fast? Cleanse? What about that irrigation program?

For the answers to that and more read on.

To your wellbeing,
Gregory Anne

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Own It

That title is not an offer to buy a hot product or service. Here is a short story that will give you some insight on the mission I’m on.

Two friends of mine and I were sitting around the table on a break from work. Linda asked her brother Neil, “Did my husband talk to you about leaving the space heater on?”

Neil had spent the previous night at their house. He looked down and pretty much spoke to his shoe when he replied, “Yes he did, but in my defense, the dial makes it look like it’s off when it’s still on.” Linda went on to tell him about the numbers of household fires that are started by these little heaters when left unattended. This would have been the perfect place for Neil to say, “Wow I didn’t know that and I’m sorry.” Rather he chose, “Well ya know…” More self-defense, bigger wall goes up between these two people; more brother feels he still looks good because he has good excuses.

Friend finally looks at him and says simply, “Own it.”

The ego is in charge of a number of ways-of-being that do not always serve us and making excuses for our actions or lack of action is one of them. Ego ensures that we do what we can to look good and in that moment we give away our power.

By not taking on the responsibility of leaving the heater on Neil had not only put a big rock into the stream of relationship with his sister but his power was visibly diminished. There is no authenticity in the dance around the fact. The energy is awkward and the moment is uncomfortable, lingering.

What of good excuses, are there any? How about leaving on time to get somewhere and unexpectedly a semi-trailer overturns on the road in front of you bringing everything to a standstill. You will be late, hopefully you will call and let those waiting know what’s happened, all is well.

What if you don’t leave on time, (only you will know this unless you tell someone) hence you arrive late and have kept someone waiting. Since you didn’t call they had no way of knowing when you’d arrive or even if you would. Breathless, you arrive, and the person asks “what happened?” If you reply, “it’s unbelievable how much traffic there was, my kids wouldn’t let me get out the door, my dog ate the directions,” well can you feel the tension created here? What if one simply said, “I’m so sorry I’m late, I know it is rude to keep you waiting, I didn’t leave on time.” Which of those two scenes do you feel would have the better outcome?

So owning what we do or do not do is powerful. And I suggest, it enhances relationships rather than strains them.

What about the relationship we have with ourselves? Will not owning what we do and say as the doing and saying of our choosing have a negative effect on our lives? Let’s see.

Ricki goes to yoga at the same time each week. Brava, she is not only doing something she is committed to doing but she is doing something with health and wellness benefits.

The other day she bought a new couch and the delivery people would only come during a five hour window which included her regular yoga class. “Now I can’t go to yoga” she told herself, “that’s it for the week, this sucks.” Day ruined, all is lost, ego feels good because it thrives in victim mode. But where is the power in this whole exchange?

Who is in charge anyway?

You can see what the alternative could be. “Damn, the couch is coming during my favorite yoga class but I really want to get my yoga in. I’ll check out the schedule and see if I can go later or earlier than usual. Hey, I might even meet a new teacher I like then I’d have more flexibility.” Owning the “Wahhh, poor me,” even letting it run wild for a few minutes is okay, but taking back the reins and changing course is where the power is.

Power is a word some people don’t equate with themselves. They think of the leaders of countries, banks, hospitals, cities, schools etc as being powerful people but not them. I’m here with the wake up call. You are powerful indeed and powerful in the only way that matters to your life—freedom of choice in all things.

By owning what you do and say, even if part of you feels it’s not “good” or you’ll “look bad” the bigger picture is it means you are ok with being you and that you are willing to let people know that you approve of the choices you are making. And if you are not, well that’s the perfect topic for another article but the only thing to do is change. Use your freedom to choose some way of being that allows you to feel good about yourself. Use the power of your life to create a life you are proud to own.

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Want to use this article in your newsletter or on your web site?  You are welcome to do so, as long as you give full attribution below.  I would also appreciate it if you would let me know when you publish it.  You may contact me via email or phone call.

Gregory Anne Cox is a certified life coach who has been dishing up all-you-can-eat servings of women's health and nutrition information for years. Her Lifestyle Tune-Up course is a 28 day wonder seminar for women looking for the missing mid-life manual. You can find out more at Live Better Coach, send her an email, or call her at (631) 728-2456.  This article is copyrighted and you may feel free to use it as long as you include this paragraph when publishing it.

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Phone: 631-728-2456
gregory@livebettercoach.com

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Simple Pasta Primavera

I love a combination of spring veggies like leeks, baby peas, and asparagus with a bit of sun-dried and fresh tomatoes. What if you want to add broccoli or zucchini? You know my one rule, think outside the recipe and use whatever sounds good to you. You can only add more nutrition by adding more veggies so go for it.

I’ve used Gluten Free pasta here because I find the regular stuff makes me bloated.

I find no difference in the texture if cooked al dente and the flavor is the same also.

Serves 6

Ingredients

12 oz (dry) Gluten free or regular pasta
1 leek, white and pale green parts only (2cups sliced)
1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic
2 cups petite peas frozen or sweet peas fresh
3 cups of fresh asparagus, bias cut, 1” pieces
2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
1 cup of thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes*
*you can use either the ones that come in oil or not
¼ to ½ cup of good, flavorful olive oil
½ cup of vegetable or chicken stock
¼ cup of fresh basil chiffonade (thin slices)
½ cup of toasted pine nuts-optional

Method

1. None of these veggies need par cooking as the cuts are small and they will all cook very quickly.
2. Leeks: cut it in half lengthwise then into ¼” slices. Wash well in cold water, make sure you get rid of all the sand. Either spin it dry or dry on paper towels.
3. Put the pasta water on to boil, salt it til it tastes like the sea, and assemble all the other ingredients.
4. When the water boils, put the pasta in. This particular pasta takes 9 mins.
5. 5 minutes before the pasta is finished heat a large sauté pan and place 2 Tbls of your olive oil in the pan.
6. When the oil is fragrant add the garlic and swirl it for about 30 seconds.
7. Add the leeks, asparagus and sundried tomatoes and peas if they are fresh. Saute for about two minutes then add the fresh tomatoes and peas if using frozen.
8. Pour in the stock to deglaze the pan and help cook the veggies.
9. Continue to sauté, season with salt and pepper, add the basil and toss.
10. Drain the pasta, pour the pasta into the sauté pan or pour the pasta back into the pot and add the veggies. Add basil, add the remaining oil, taste for seasoning.
11. Serve family style in a large shallow bowl or individually.
12. Sprinkle with pine nuts and offer parmesan cheese.

Chef's note: I use a fruity extra virgin olive oil for the drizzle at the end.

A light fruity wine will work with the vegetables here. Why not try a Pinot Gris from Oregon or California’s Coastal region?

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The Truth About Food, What You Eat Can Change Your Life
Jill Fullerton-Smith

Finally there is a book about food and its effects on us based on recent science. This is the companion piece to a five-part TV series of the same name created in conjunction with Discovery Health. According to the author who is an award-winning filmmaker and producer of BBC science programming, the series took 2 years to make. She and her team worked with more than 50 nutritionists, doctors and other experts from more than 20 universities, research centers and hospitals in the UK, the US, and Denmark.

Questions like, “why does my best friend eat like a horse and look like a gazelle?, do carrots really help ones eyesight?, can foods really affect libido?” are answered and the answers proven right there before your eyes.

Why so much confusion around the topic of food? Because there is so much conflicting information and many of us can’t seem to make sense of it. As Ms. Fullerton-Smith writes in the intro, “Understanding complex research can be hard going; experts disagree; journalists speculate; and old myths die hard. It seems the more we know the more we have to worry about, and the less sure we are of the truth.” I say “Amen” to that.

Dr. Mehmet Oz who wrote the forward adds this; “If food were merely fuel, we could consume a simple, tasteless liquid and be on our way, just as we full up our cars with gasoline to keep us on the road. But nothing about food is simple. Even the most basic signals that tell us we are hungry or full are confused by a host of psychological and physiological triggers that often make it difficult for us to identify when we need to eat or—more importantly for most of us—when we need to stop eating.” This statement alone might have some of you singing the hallelujah chorus.

The Truth About Food is written as a series of “How Tos.” How To: be healthy, be slim, feed the kids, be sexy, be the best, and stay young and beautiful. To support their ideas they use great photos, sidebars, and “top tips.” These are the little take away gems that you don’t want to exclude in your new way of eating.

During their two years of experimenting they managed to prove that you can lower cholesterol and blood pressure without drugs, (no surprise there), that calcium does have some chops in the weight loss category, and that most people do not need to drink two liters of water per day to remain health and hydrated. Water haters rejoice!

Think of this book as evidence that “foods are powerful weapons in our fight to stay healthy,” as Dr. Oz puts it. This isn’t a diet book but can be the basis of a new way of eating for weight loss or weight gain for that matter. You will learn why certain foods produce certain results in some and not in others. The writing is engaging and the science is easy to follow.

Pick this book up and I swear you won’t want to put it down. It’s that much fun and encouraged even this avid foodie to look twice at what’s on my plate.

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Q&A
Be sure to send your questions to Greg so she can answer them here in future issues of The You Revolution.

Q: The urge to do some spring cleaning has migrated from just closets to my insides. I feel sluggish and like I want to shed a layer or two. What’s safe? There are so many programs advertised. What about a colonic? The very word brings “eeew” to mind but I hear they are great for losing weight.

A: Like everything else in this dualistic world of ours the concept of detox or cleansing is debated between Western and Eastern practitioners. I say if you feel the desire to do something good for yourself like eliminate toxins and eat light for a week go ahead. Caveat: make sure you research your program, check with a doc if you are on any sort of meds, have heart disease, or have been sick, and be sure to monitor yourself throughout the days of your altered lifestyle.

Don’t think of cleansing only as eating healthier, or taking products that support or stimulate the liver—although those are two popular starting points. Massage, brushing the skin in the morning before a shower, salt scrubs, sauna or steam baths, all can be used to produce a cleansing effect.

Toxins are everywhere and it makes sense to me that the body could use a break once in awhile but don’t do anything extreme. Fasting is hard-core and might best be done under the supervision of a health care practitioner so you can check in if something doesn’t feel good.

Colonics, hmmm. My jury of one is still out. I’ve read and reread the information that’s available and I can’t see why they would be necessary or how they can be safe for the majority of people. As for me and my internal house we’ll drink lots of water, eat healthy, fiber filled foods, exercise and spend the $200- $400 I’ve seen quoted for these procedures on a seaweed wrap and sauna treatment. The weight loss from this procedure is paltry and will not last; again, save your money.

Google “spring detox” or ‘spring cleanse’ and you’ll find oodles of information. If the urge to purge is calling, answer it with a sensible program that you can do and still get through your day in one piece.

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Did you get a chance to take the survey? If not it’s open til the 13th and I’d love to have your input. I’m even offering a bribe. It’s my latest report titled, "The 15 Best Nutrition, Wellness, and Health Websites for Smart Women." This link will take you there. I guarantee it’s not your usual boring old survey. When was the last time someone asked about your condiments? Yes this is serious information gathering and I’m going to compile the data and share just how interesting you smart women are. (Anonymously of course.)

March will see me competing in the second level of a speaking competition for Toastmasters. It’s March 13th, wish me luck!

The last Saturday of the month I’ll be teaching a healthy cooking class at a local vineyard. The winemaker will be paring wines with some of my favorite spring dishes. I’ll share photos and the recipes at the blog.

Are you feeling the lure of the spring muse to make some changes, clean out some clutter, or simply reenergize your routine? If you need support or help with a plan or even figuring out what wants to happen, why not drop me an email? We can talk about how coaching works and if its right for you right now.

Oh, and March may be National Nutrition Month but for this otherwise nutrition crazed coach and chef, it means Peeps and I refuse to apologize!

To your health,
Greg

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Thank you for reading. I know your time is valuable and that there is a mountain of information out there demanding your attention. My highest hope is that I've provided something of value for you. If you know someone who might benefit from any of the content please forward this.

Any recommendations of sites or products are items I have personally investigated and recommend with confidence.